Konnect Daily

Publicists’ Hacks For Mastering Work & Travel

Traveling can always take a toll on your physical and mental health, especially with the long days and treacherous security lines at the airport. Sometimes we get so accustomed to taking a snooze on the plane or playing a game of Yahtzee with our new friend in seat 22D – we forget that people actually are simultaneously working on the flight. As a publicist in Los Angeles, it’s in our DNA to master the art of multitasking – so working on the flight is a no brainer. However, it’s not always peachy keen up in the sky – I’m talking spotty wifi, a crying baby – you get my gist. Here are a few hacks and tips so that the next time you jet set with your public relations firm – you are staying on top of all your work without the dreary feeling of falling behind!

Delay deliver pitches: This will save your life. Traveling is tiring and frankly can be an all-day affair – especially if you are traveling across the country. As a publicist, our clients rely on us to have conversations with editors, pitch ideas and ultimately get them featured in the Glamours and Food Networks of the world. To jumpstart your busy day, delay deliver your pitches the night before. This will ensure you are pitching your client and when you’re in your Uber for over an hour trying to get to LAX, and another hour in the security line, you won’t have to fret because you already did some work in the morning – done and done.

Plan your day: This one should be a no brainer. To successfully get everything done in your day, list building is crucial, and the same goes when traveling. I like to take a notebook with me, and the night before I travel, I write down the 4 things I’m going to get done while on the plane, and then get them done. This holds you accountable and gives you a line of sight on what you can accomplish rather than twiddling your thumbs and thinking about it when you’re about to take off.

Download all necessary work items to your desktop: Let’s talk polar vortex. Traveling in choppy weather conditions is always tricky, but what’s trickier? Working while being deplaned, with no wifi, in -1 degree weather – the list goes on. It’s important to prepare for delays and – you guessed it – choppy wifi. When I travel, I make sure that any decks, presentations or research that I need throughout my day are properly downloaded to my desktop – so that when wifi fails me, I’m still prepared.

Don’t forget about self-care!: Always important. Stock your purse with airborne, hand sanitizer, travel eye masks and any other items that make you feel good. Especially if you’re traveling for a big meeting, you might as well relax, look good, and feel good when you get there! Sleep is also crucial. I always like to pack some melatonin with me if it’s an overnight trip, because sleeping in foreign cities and hotel rooms aren’t my jam!

There you have it. You’ll be ready the next time you pack
your bags for your next conference meeting!